@Faob_1 thank you for sharing with us. It sounds like last year's Christmas was a really challenging one and I'm sorry to hear what has happened with your son. I really hope that this year is better and like you said a fresh start for us all, with love and well wishes
... View more

Hi @Luna20 welcome to ReachOut and thanks for sharing. I'm sorry to hear you've been having a difficult time with your daughter. I'm wondering if there might be someone else that she might be comfortable talking to about it? Perhaps another family member or a counsellor? I'm going to tag some members for further advice and support @sunflowermom @taokat @Schooner @Mumof1. We're here to listen and support you.
... View more

Hi @FreakedOut thank you for sharing and reaching out to us also. I'm sorry to hear that you are going through something similar and living in fear for your daughter. It sounds like you could do with some further support as you mentioned the restraining order. I would suggest contacting 1800 RESPECT for some information and support. You could also contact your local courthouse or police station for further information on applying for one. We're here for you.
... View more

Hi @Orbit64 it sounds like an extremely hard and heart breaking decision but you are putting in healthy boundaries I wanted to check in to see how you are doing since your last post? How is your son?
... View more

Hi @Moloko it's great to hear that you are having a lovely day with your daughter and that she is feeling happy and settled Teenage years are such a roller coaster ride so it's wonderful when you are able to have days like today. I'm sorry to hear you have felt a bit judged by other parents. It's great that you are able to talk with friends that keep it real and tell it like it is by sharing their own struggles. We're always here to listen
... View more

Hi @Dragonfly12029 welcome to ReachOut. Could you please provide more information? Do you mean you could provide resources to enable a particular result? Typically parents will post on the forum for support on different situations which you'll be able to see in the thread topics. Here are the community guidelines for your reference also
... View more

Hi @lovealways8 thank you for sharing your story. I can only imagine how difficult it was when you found out your daughter had been self-harming. I'm sorry to hear that her father was very abusive, that must have been a very challenging and frightening time. It's great to hear that she has been receiving support from the doctor, counsellor and family. That is wonderful news that she is no longer hurting herself, you are doing an amazing job being there for her I hope you get a chance for some self-care also.
... View more

Hi @Aria43 I'm sorry to hear that your son has depression. I think the suggestion of some local supports and starting with your GP would be helpful. Is there a school counsellor available that he could chat with? How are you looking after yourself during this time?
... View more

Hi @Adrianr29 you and your boyfriend sound really good for each other It's great to hear that he has you for support when previously he didn't have anyone to go to for advice. While it must be frustrating to see his daughter not take any responsibility or act spoiled, it sounds like you are having a positive influence on your boyfriend. It may be a slow and gradual process, it does sound like you are making progress as you mentioned she is starting to see his happiness matters. What are some suggestions you think would be helpful in this situation that you could discuss with your boyfriend? What is your relationship like with his daughter and are you able to spend more time together? I'm going to tag some members for some further support and advice @Chalke5 @Helpful_Mum @Dad4good @hippy_mum
... View more

Hi @Justcantcope welcome to ReachOut and thank you for sharing. I'm sorry to hear of the difficulties your daughter is experiencing with her mental health, drugs and alcohol and being sexually assaulted. That is awful and no one should have to experience that. Has she reported the assault and spoken to her counsellor about it for some support?
It sounds like a really challenging situation for both of you and heartbreaking to hear that she is being aggressive towards you and has caused damage to the property. I'm worried about your well-being as you mentioned you feel like you are being held hostage. Are you currently receiving any support yourself? I would recommend contacting 1800 RESPECT who offer counselling support for victims of violence and abuse. They have a telephone or webchat option available 24/7. I'm going to tag some of our members for further support and advice @sunflowermom @compassion @Helpful_Mum @taokat. We're here to listen and support you
... View more

Hi @Adrianr29 that definitely sounds like a tough position to be in, wanting to set some boundaries but on the other hand not wanting to step on anyone's toes. It's really hard when we walk into a situation where people are set in their ways and then not being sure of how to influence some positive changes without upsetting anyone. It sounds like there's going to be a bit of transition with your boyfriend's daughter moving out of state after graduation. Has your boyfriend advised if he plans to move as well? You also said you've mentioned a few things, how did that conversation go? We're here to listen and support you.
... View more

Hi @Motherofteen thank you for sharing with us and we're glad you are finding comfort from the forum posts, you are not alone I'm sorry to hear your daughter is going through a really difficult time with her mental health and trying to connect with people. I'm wondering if she has tried any local helplines that can provide counselling support on the phone or via web chat? I can see you are based overseas and just wanted to advise the resources available here are Australian based but you may find the articles available helpful.
It sounds like a challenging and scary time for you and you mentioned being on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Self-care is key during this difficult time, what are some ways you can look after yourself? We're here to listen and support you.
... View more

Hi @DJ626 welcome to ReachOut and thank you for sharing. I'm sorry to hear about your concerns regarding your son's marijuana use, it sounds very difficult. It's unfortunate to hear that the doctor's appointment wasn't effective or helpful, that must have been frustrating for you. I can see that you are based overseas and just wanted to advise that the resources available on here are Australian based. However you may find some of the articles available helpful.
I'm wondering if there are any online or local supports available where you are based? Does the school have a counsellor that he could speak to that may know of some local supports? You are most welcome to start a new thread topic which will allow other members to see your post and provide further advice and support. We're here to listen
... View more

Hi @Walkie thanks for the information. I think if you explained it to them as you have here then they would hopefully understand. There's not really a clear cut answer as it depends on the individual as to how they will respond or react. Being as clear as possible and explaining the reasons why will assist with any feelings of disappointment. Hope this helps.
... View more

Hi @Dad4good glad to hear that writing this out is helping, we're here to listen Sounds like that was quite the dilemma and I agree with you that needing to get that address overshadowed the other options. During times when I'm stuck or feel like there's no right answer I tend to go with my gut, assess the situation and logic often prevails. I'm going to tag some of our members for some further support and advice @taokat @sunflowermom @compassion @Helpful_Mum
... View more

@Dad4good thank you for sharing your experience with us. I'm sorry to hear of the struggle you've had with your son, it must have been very isolating when no one was able to intervene during those three months. How are things going for you currently? We're here to listen and support you
... View more

Hi @lizard0812 I'm sorry to hear that things are spiralling out of control, it sounds like an incredibly difficult time for you and your family. I can only imagine the frustration of trying to get help but then being put on a wait list for months. @Taylor-RO's suggestion of contacting some local helplines would be a good option in terms of support during times of crisis. Lifeline also provide crisis support chat or you can call them. Do let us know how you go with Headspace, we're here for you
... View more

Hi @Eriamb thanks for sharing with us. It's great that you allow your daughter to express herself I'm sure she appreciates it In terms of suggestions of how to get her to open up, that's a great question. Do you have any one-to-one time together which would encourage more time to chat? Or is she someone that perhaps prefers texting than chatting in person? Teenagers tend to like to text particularly if it's things they are uncomfortable talking about in person and provides an open line of communication at the very least. I'm going to tag some of our members for further advice on this @sunflowermom @Schooner @compassion @Moggy3kids
... View more

Hi @sunflowermom you are doing an incredible job! I can only imagine how scary that must of been seeing her crying with panic attacks. It's great to hear that she is starting Trauma group tomorrow and that it was her idea to dive into it. That takes a lot of strength and courage. Stay strong, we are here for you
... View more

Hi @Skyblue welcome to ReachOut and thank you for sharing. I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling with your daughter's behaviour, it sounds like a very difficult time. Teenage years can definitely be trying times and even harder when drugs are involved. I'm wondering what supports you have in place and if your daughter would be willing to see a counsellor? Perhaps there is one at her school that she could talk to? I can see that you are located outside of Australia so I just wanted to advise that the resources on the forum are Australian based. I am going to tag some of our members for further support @Schooner @taokat @sunflowermom @motherbear We're here for you
... View more

Hi @lizard0812 I'm sorry to hear of your struggle, it sounds like an extremely difficult time. It's good to hear that you are able to talk to some friends who are able to provide support. I hope the conference next week goes well and that you are able to get some further support and strategies to assist your son. Just a quick note I've edited your post to include the @ symbol in front of username you have mentioned which allows you to tag members in your post and they'll also receive a notification. We're here for you
... View more

Hi @Sam251 welcome to ReachOut and thank you for sharing. I'm sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time with your daughter. It sounds like she is struggling with loneliness and making friends at school. It must have been very hard to have found out that she had lied about a family member having cancer. I'm wondering if she could speak to a school counsellor for some support? Does she have any siblings or cousins she could spend time with? I'm going to tag some members for some further support and advice @hippy_mum @CoogeeMagic2018 @lizard0812 @MazzieP We're here to listen and support you
... View more

Hi @sunflowermom I'm so sorry to hear that your daughter has run away, I can only imagine how stressful this must be I'm wondering if there has been any update from the police? It sounds like you are in a lot of pain, please know that we're here for you. I'm going to tag some of our members to see if they can provide advice on your question about a check list of things to cover when a teen runs away @Mumof1 @Schooner @taokat @Chalke5
... View more

Hi @Horsecrazy welcome to ReachOut and thank you for sharing. I'm sorry to hear your son has been having such a difficult time and the impact this has had on you also. Transitioning to high school and reaching adolescent years is such a challenge in itself, he's really lucky to have such a wonderful and loving parent. I'm wondering if he has access to a Counsellor at school that he could speak to for some support? Are there any gaming groups or community events he could attend with other boys around his age that have similar interests? I can see that you are based outside of Australia so just wanted to advise the resources on this site are for within Australia. You are more than welcome to post on this forum for some support. I'm going to tag other members for some advice @taokat @Happy @Schooner @sunflowermom We're here to listen and support you
... View more

Hi @Star14 that sounds like a really difficult situation to be in both for you and your partner. Were you able to discuss some ways to approach it? How are you looking after yourself during this time? We're here to listen and support you
... View more

Hi @Lkahn welcome to ReachOut and thank you for sharing. I'm sorry to hear you have been having a tough time with your daughter. May I ask how old she is? It must be frustrating when you've tried to communicate with her and she doesn't answer. It's great that you are there for her and I can see you are a loving and caring parent. I've noticed that you are located outside of Australia and just wanted to advise that the resources provided are for within Australia. You are welcome to post on here however, we're here to listen and support you I'll also tag some other members for some support @PositiveWhisper @taokat @CoogeeMagic2018
... View more

Hi @lizard0812 it sounds like a really tough and stressful time. Your son sounds very loyal to his friends and he's at an age where fitting in with his peers is important. This is particularly difficult when they start to hang out with the wrong crowd. It must feel very frustrating and upsetting to try to talk to him about the dangers and consequences but feel like you aren't getting through. In times like this would it be okay to give him the benefit of the doubt and that he knows you are there for him? Are there any other more positive role models around his age that he could spend some time with? Does he play any group sports? I'm going to tag some more members to see if they can provide advice and support on this @Mitzi @Schooner @PositiveWhisper @LovingThruBlue We're here for you
... View more